


Fruit Notes

by HetBud



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Co-workers, M/M, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-18
Updated: 2014-03-18
Packaged: 2018-01-16 05:45:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,724
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1334248
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HetBud/pseuds/HetBud
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Louis likes Harry.<br/>Louis likes 'H'.<br/>He also seems to like writing on apples and carrots.<br/>(TERRIBLE TITLE AND SUMMARY)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fruit Notes

**Author's Note:**

> Heyyy! x  
> This was written for Caramelfringe on tumblr.  
> caramelfringe.tumblr.com
> 
> :)

''You've got the job!'' Liam, his new boss, grinned at Louis. Louis returned a small smile, before cheekily grinning at Niall as he arrived. Niall was his best friend, room mate, and new co worker.  
''So, when am I starting? Shift times?'' Louis asked eagerly, despite the fact that he'd be working at a local supermarket, which wasn't exactly the most glamourous job. For Louis it was amazing though, because he really, really needed a job, and working with Niall was a plus.  
''Well, since you know Niall, I'll put you on at the same times as him, he can show you around today. You can start tommorow?'' Liam asked unsurely, and Louis nodded.  
\----  
''I'm bored.'' Louis whined at Niall as he served customers, who gave him disapproving looks. He disregarded them as Niall also glared at him.  
''Go sort out the fruit.'' Niall suggested, and Louis pouted, walking towards the fruit aisle, leaving Niall to do whatever he was doing (Louis didn't care anyway!). He wandered slowly, before seeing a strange black mark on a banana. He approaches it, finding a note written on it, strangely in capital letters. Louis just shrugs that off though, some people prefer to write like that, right? He has a minor conversation in his head about it, before he finally grasps what is actually written on said banana.  
'I LOVE BANANAS-H'  
Louis isn't sure whether to laugh or raise an eyebrow, so he does both, one after the other, gaining a strange look from a small child passing him. Children these days, he thinks, so judgemental. He almost laughs again at his own thoughts. He may find himself a little too funny for it to be normal. Louis examines the banana, finding another small note.  
'do not reply' is scrawled in mostly lower case, and Louis wonders if anyone uses letters correctly here. He shrugs, opting to be cheeky and reply, just because. He grabs a carrot, because 'who doesn't like carrots?', and pulls the Sharpie he always carrys around with him (for reasons) from his pocket. He tries to write neater than he usually does, and makes a point of writing in both lower case and capital letters where needed.  
'I quite like carrots myself! -L'  
\----  
Its not until three days later that he finds a reply to his message, which he was hoping to find. He had paid for both the banana and the carrot, feeling bad about ruining them. The banana had been tossed into the bin after he replied. Niall questioned him on his sudden obsession with 'sorting out the fruits' and Louis simply winked at him. The reply came, strangely, when a customer complains to him about a pack of strawberries being opened and drawn on, and Louis had pulled a disbelieving face before the customer showed him. On the side of the strawberry box was written. 'Unscramble us'. Unluckily for Louis, a letter or two was written on each strawberry and he sighed, 'At least I won't be bored.'. He chuckled, assuring the customer it wouldn't happen again, before setting to work on decoding the message. He started by ending the message in '-H', assuming it was from the same person.  
\----  
'HI THeRE, We'RE BERrY HaPPy To MEET YoU-H'  
Louis wipes his forehead, dramatically, as he finally finishes his task. Niall has been sending him concerned glances the entire time he was doing this. He sighs as he reads the bad pun hidden within the message. Whoever 'H' was, he was a dork. Strangely enough, so were all of Louis' past boyfriends. Louis scoffed at himself. This person could be some perverted stalker. The thought made Louis look around nervously. He brushed it off, but saw Niall approaching. Rushing, he placed the ruined strawberries back in the box, before hastily shoving the box away from him.  
''Shifts over, just need you to run over the aisles, meet you at home?'' Niall asked, giving him a strange glance as he looked at the strawberry box. Louis nodded, knowing he needed to leave a message anyway. He rushed to the fruit aisle, grabbing an orange, scribbling something down in green sharpie (he has a whole pack at home).  Leaving a five pound note near the closest cash register, Nick (the person working there) giving him a strange look, and well, Louis never liked Nick anyway, he thought as he ran home, thinking of the monthly chocolate from Nialls mother waiting at home and hoping to God Niall hadn't ate it.  
'Punny bloke you are -L'  
\----  
Louis had been talking to 'H' for weeks now, around ten messages being sent between the two. He still didn't know anything about him, other than that he was a man (confirmed by the fact that he didn't say anything awkward about Louis' 'bloke' assumption), he was 'young and curly', and that he seemed to visit the shop often, sometimes the second handwriting taking an appearance, and Louis wondered if that was 'H's girlfriend (or boyfriend). Louis found it strange how much that thought somehow made him grumpy.  
'You're beautiful, you know?-H'  
The most recent message had made Louis blush. Louis barely blushed, especially over dorky random young, curly blokes that visited the shop he worked at far too much for it to be normal. He looked over his shoulder as he read over the lemon again. It was quite ironic that the sweet message was written on quite a sour fruit, but maybe that was just Louis. He wanted to know how the person had seen him, or how he knew the person he saw was 'L'. He hadn't referred to himself as anything else, so unless 'H' was watching him as he wrote.  
''So, whats this?'' Niall grabbed the fruit from him. Louis watched nervously as he read over it, before Niall broke into a massive grin. ''You're beautiful Louis!'' He mocked, and Louis groaned, trying to get it, but Niall held it over his head. Louis, being shorter than Niall, tried desperately to grab it. ''Who's 'H'?''  
''Bully.'' Louis pouted. ''And I've honestly no idea, kinda creepy, but in a cute way, you know?'' He smiled, and Niall poked him.  
''You like 'H'!'' Niall exclaimed joyfully. Louis frowned, did he like 'H'? He couldn't, could he? He hadn't met this boy, assuming it was a 'boy', it might be some middle aged creep with nothing better to do in their lives.  
''I might.'' Louis shyly admitted. ''But he could be anyone, so...'' He trailed off slightly. ''I'll just talk to him through fruit like any sane person.''  
''Sane?'' Niall scoffed. ''You're anything but sane,''  
''Whatever.'' Louis disregarded, before scanning the aisle for write-able fruit. He spotted a lime, hoping his black pen would show up on it (he thought matching fruits would be cute!).  
'I'm sure you're beautiful too, dork-L'  
\----  
''Oops!'' The unfamiliar voice mumbled as Louis bumped into someone on the way out. He scanned over the boy, helping him up with his hand that he was sure was at least three times smaller than the strangers'.  
''Hi!'' He smiled at the boy, who looked nervous and slightly guilty, but smiled back anyway. The boy had small, curly locks poking out from where they were restrained in a headband, and Louis found himself hoping this was 'H'. His pouty lips were kissable to Louis and he had to practically hold himself back. At the stance the boy was in now, he seemed at least a head taller than Louis, but Louis was sure if he stood straight he would be at least another inch or so taller.  
''Um, H-hi?'' The boy practically radiated awkward, and Louis fought off the need to coo at him, thinking it would be innappropriate. Louis smiled a little more reassuringly at the boy, who perked up a little. ''I'm Harry-Harry Styles.'' The boy held his hand towards Louis, whose heart soared. Harry started with H, right?  
''Louis Tomlinson!'' He grinned back, grabbing Harrys hand and shaking it enthusiastically. The boy looked at him slightly strangely when he finally dropped said hand. ''Sorry, I'm a little crazy.'' He apologised. He heard the boy mutter something under his breath, something like 'many the butt say', but Louis disregarded it.  
''Well, I-uh-I work here, so I kinda need to-'' Harry awkwardly scratched the back of his neck, and gestured to the shop. Louis nodded.  
''Yeah, me too, see you around, I guess, Harry.'' Louis called as he walked off, despite the fact that Harry was only a few paces away from him.  
''See you around!'' Harry called back, and Louis hoped he would.  
\----  
'You're adorable-H'  
'You're amazing-H'  
'Wow-H'  
\----  
Louis was really flattered by the compliments from 'H', and he really hoped they would meet one day. On the other hand, it still could be a creepy middle aged man. Again, it STILL could be adorable Harry that he had made a habit of leaving late just to see. Louis had started telling Niall all about how he definitely liked 'H', who he had discovered (after a particularly long note he found in a box of grapes, which definitely wasn't cheating) had an older sister, loved music (just like Louis did) and was apparently 'a lot taller' than Louis. Which strengthened Louis' hopes of it being cute little Harry.  
''Louis! I have an idea!'' Niall shouted as Louis read over the most recent note from 'H', which was left, strangely, on a rather artsy drawing of an apple, near the cash register where Niall worked. Even better, it had contained 'H's phone number, which Louis had immediately entered into his phone. Louis walked over to Niall, as he explained his plan, which they quickly put into action.  
'Heyyy xx  
To 'L',  
I quite like that song (The one you recommended), maybe you could recommend some more?  
XXXXXXXXXX-H'  
\----  
'Hi?-L'  
'Heyyyy-H'  
'How are you-H'  
\----  
Louis was sat on his bed with Niall, waiting for Liam (whom they had invited over) to arrive. He was looking over his texts with 'H'. He didn't know what to text back. It was rather awkward of him, and Louis wasn't an awkward person in general. He decided that he must really like 'H', and hoped again that it was Harry, because he seemed to really like him, too. His thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door. Niall rushed to get it, as Louis quickly texted Harry back.  
'I'm fine, you?x-L'  
\----  
''So, you're telling me, this whole social event wasn't because you like me as a person, or anything nice, just to get me to switch Niall into someone elses shift?'' Liam asked, and Louis shrugged, before nodding.  
''Well, we like you as a person too, just also that.'' Niall hesitantly told Liam. ''In fact, I think you're a very cool lad.'' Louis nodded at that, despite Liam seeming very serious, Louis liked him. He was fun, too, funny at times, even.  
''I'll let you then.'' Liam sighed. ''But only this once.''  
''Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!'' Louis shouted, hugging Liam tightly.  
\----  
''Having fun there?'' Niall casually leaned on the wall as he watched Harry attempt to write on a starfruit. Harry did a double take, looking over to Niall with panicked eyes. ''By all means, continue, let me watch you pine hopelessly over someone who doesn't even know who you are.''  
''Wh-What?'' Harry stuttered, and Niall sighed, walking over to him.  
''Why not just talk to him? Like, outside of fruit, and not just little encounters or texts.'' Niall suggested. Harry opened his mouth to reply, but Niall interrupted him before he could even start talking. ''He's gay, single, and might even like you back.''  
''Really?'' Harry squeaked out excitedly. Niall nodded and Harry squealed a little. When Niall gave him a judging look, Harry shrugged. ''Have you seen him? He's so cute, and hot, and nice and funny and-!''  
''Yeah, yeah, now go get 'im''  
\----  
'Go on a date with me-H'  
The new note baffled Louis. What did he say? He thought it was adorable how he went back to writing on a banana as was the first time he had talked to him, even if he didn't want a reply at the time. What did he do? Did he wing it? Take up the offer? Louis decided what to do a little too rushed, but he just didn't care who 'H' was at this point, he liked him far too much.  
'When and where, my dear boy-L'  
It was written on a carrot, just like the original reply. That made Harry grin when he found it.  
\----  
'7PM tonight, text me your address.-H'  
Louis was riddled with nerves. He had gotten the message at four and he was now pacing his bedroom in a towel, at six. He didn't know what to wear! He had texted 'H' back almost immediately. He had called Niall at least three times, the Irish boy never picking up. He resorted to sitting on his bed, nervously thinking about what the date was going to be like.  
\----  
''What are you doing in a towel?'' Niall had been there when he opened the door at ten past seven, after ten minutes of loud knocks and more pacing. Louis still hadn't found anything to wear, but was more curious about why Niall was here.  
''Why are you here?'' Louis shot back.  
''I'm going to escort you to your date.'' Niall answered, before asking Louis his question again.  
''I couldn't find anything to wear and I sound like a teenage girl!'' Louis groaned in exasperation.  Niall tutted, before bustling Louis inside, dragging him to his room.  
''Look, wear this!'' Niall exclaimed after ten minutes of searching. Louis looked over the outfit, approving, before rushing to the bathroom to get dressed and style his hair.  
\----  
''He isn't here Li.'' Louis heard a quiet, sad voice as entered the place Niall had informed him his date was at. ''He-he didn't turn up.'' Louis frowned, was that 'H'? He sounded terrible, like he was crying.  
Turning a corner, Louis saw Harry sat at a candlelit table, crying his eyes out, looking down at his lap. The table was set up in the middle of a magnificent garden. He was talking into a phone between hiccupy sobs. Louis immediately felt terrible. Harry must've assumed he stood him up. He walked over, slowly dragging out his chair and sitting down. Harry still didn't look up  
''I'm-I'm a little late.'' Louis whispered, and Harry looked up, finally. His eyes filled with joy and Louis felt even worse for getting caught up in his own little fashion problems. ''I'm sorry.'' He spoke louder, and Harry made a small excuse to Liam, before ending the phone call.  
''Its okay.'' Harry comforted. ''You're here now.'' Harry looked down to his plate, cold spaghetti covering it in an almost disgusting way.  
''Maybe we should just get fish and chips?'' Louis offered, and Harry chuckled.  
''Of course.''  
\----  
''I'm really sorry I made you think I stood you up. You're wonderful.'' Louis apologised, throwing in a compliment. ''Need to repay you for all your compliments.'' He grinned at Harry, referring to the fruits.  
''You are too.'' Harry replied, with a mouthful of chips, and Louis laughed at him. ''Its fine though. This was better than I thought it'd be, lateness and all.'' He elaborated with his mouth empty this time.  
''I was scared you'd be an old pervert.'' Louis told him. ''But I thought it might be you since I met you. I remember thinking 'I hope this is H' ''  
''I remember thinking 'Oh God, what if he knows I'm the creep with the fruit?' ''Harry laughed. ''But you didn't, then.''  
''The fruit was cute!'' Louis protested. ''You're cute!'' He added, smiling at Harry and seeing him lean in.  
 Louis didn't usually kiss on first dates but Harry could be an exception.  
\----  
''Louis! Lover boy is here again!'' Niall called up to Louis, who bounded down the steps.  
''What?'' Louis asked, slightly out of breath, and Niall laughed.  
''I lied, look.'' Niall pointed to an apple on the doorstep. Louis sighed, moving to pick it up when he saw something interesting.  
'Be mine?x -Haz'  
Louis' smile widened when he saw Harry hesitantly step out from the corridor, and he wrapped his hands around his neck, kissing him profusely.  
''Always, Hazza.'' 


End file.
